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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. court — for sport
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. press — a publisher
  16. band — a music group
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. court — of law
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. court — of a king
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com